Justin Ozinga’s Vision to Restore Trust

Justin Ozinga, a fourth-generation leader of the renowned Ozinga concrete and building materials company, is on a mission to bring bold, meaningful change to his hometown of Frankfort, Illinois. With a platform built on Transparency, Collaboration, Building smarter, and prioritizing You—the residents of Frankfort (TCBY), Ozinga is running for mayor with a clear message: it’s time to save Frankfort from stagnation, dysfunction, and missed opportunities.

A Commitment to Trust and Transparency

Ozinga draws direct parallels between his family business and his vision for Frankfort. Leading a fifth-generation, family-owned company with over 3,000 employees, Ozinga knows that trust and transparency are the foundation of success.
“The only way [Ozinga] has lasted 97 years and is still 100% family-owned is because we have a foundation of trust!” he says. “You have to have trust at the foundation of any relationship.”
In contrast, he describes the current Frankfort administration as “divided and dysfunctional,” where “some of the trustees and the mayor hardly even speak to one another. It’s very toxic,” Ozinga says, vowing to restore unity and cooperation to village leadership.

A Concrete Defender of Frankfort

Ozinga’s decision to run for mayor wasn’t born of political ambition but out of frustration with a broken system. In 2022, he set out to develop a boutique luxury hotel in downtown Frankfort on White St., a village-owned property that was advertised as being for sale and critical to Frankfort’s 2040 Plan. Believing the development would enhance the town’s charm, create jobs, and expand the tax base, Ozinga poured years of his life and thousands of dollars into hiring experts, rendering designs, and pursuing the project.
Throughout the process, Mayor Keith Ogle and other officials voiced their support, encouraging Ozinga to pursue the proposal. However, after years of planning, Ozinga was blindsided when Ogle suddenly informed him that the project would not be moving forward. Allegedly, the mayor revealed that the “project was shut down because his wife preferred it remain a green space.”
Frustrated and confused, Ozinga began looking deeper into how the village was being run. What he discovered was a deeply flawed system in which “Ogle controlled the flow of information to trustees, keeping them in the dark” and limiting their ability to make informed decisions. “The mayor has full control over the agenda. If the mayor decides he’s not for a project, the decision never reaches the Trustees.” When Ozinga voiced his concerns and asked how he could help fix the dysfunction, Ogle reportedly quipped, “The center chair is up for election next spring.” And so, Ozinga decided to run.

A Platform for the People: TCBY

Ozinga’s platform is straightforward and aimed at restoring trust, fostering growth, and putting Frankfort residents first:

• Transparency: “Desperately needed!” Ozinga promises to eliminate backroom deals and ensure that trustees and the public have direct access to information about village projects and decisions.
• Collaboration: Ozinga plans to work closely with residents, park, fire, and school districts, making sure all stakeholders have a voice in Frankfort’s future.
• Build Smarter: Cutting through unnecessary red tape, Ozinga vows to support projects that benefit Frankfort, including a new recreation center to enhance the village’s amenities.
• You, the Residents: With a commitment to serving Frankfort—not special interests—Ozinga pledges that if elected, he “will not accept a single dollar in campaign donations while in office.”

A Proven Leader with a Heart for Frankfort

Ozinga’s campaign is fueled by both his personal connection to the village and his extensive business experience. Since moving to Frankfort in 2003, he has built a life there with his wife, Annie, and their five daughters. He wants Frankfort to remain a place where families can thrive for generations.
Frankfort residents pay some of the highest property taxes in the state of Illinois, rendering home ownership for young families even further out of reach. Expanding the tax base and expanding Frankfort’s housing options is a personal mission for Ozinga—one that hits close to home.

Ending Frankfort’s ‘Closed for Business’ Reputation: No More Lost Children’s Museums

Ozinga’s campaign also aims to reverse Frankfort’s reputation as “closed for business.” During his hotel development experience, he repeatedly heard from national developers that Frankfort was known for welcoming investors initially, only to pull the rug out from under them when faced with minor opposition.
“I started doing my own research, started talking to developers—national developers that are all over the place—and word on the street is ‘Frankfort is closed for business!’” Ozinga explains. He is determined to change that by “making Frankfort a business-friendly destination, attracting responsible, high-quality development that will benefit the entire community.”
For Ozinga, improving Frankfort’s reputation with the business community isn’t just about bringing more businesses to Frankfort but about preserving and aiding existing businesses. Should existing businesses have issues that arise that require village input/assistance, Ozinga believes in “full accessibility” at Village Hall for Frankfort’s business community. Under his administration, Ozinga claims there will be no more cases like the KidsWork Children's Museum, a cherished local institution that was in downtown Frankfort until it relocated this past year to New Lenox. For years, Frankfort’s beloved KidsWork Children's Museum — a vibrant hub that draws up to 40,000 visitors annually to the village's historic downtown — quietly lobbied Mayor Keith Ogle to be absorbed as a municipal entity. Far from seeking a handout, the museum, a proven revenue-generating nonprofit, offered to become a financially self-sustaining asset to the village. Mayor Ogle’s silence when Museum leadership reached out about a partnership is widely seen as the nail in the coffin of its staying in downtown Frankfort. “Worse, Mayor Ogle never brought the museum’s request to the Frankfort Board of Trustees. Outraged, Trustees later discovered the matter had been deliberately withheld,” says Ozinga. Kidswork Museum Board President Belinda Basso concurs with Justin Ozinga’s analysis of the circumstances, stating “Whether the Village Trustees would have voted in favor or against the proposal, as a Frankfort resident, I am deeply disappointed that the Trustees were not made aware of, nor given the opportunity to opine on, the absorption of the museum.”
“By the time Trustees learned the truth, it was too late,” says Ozinga, “The museum board had accepted New Lenox’s offer—a dedicated 12,000-square-foot facility exclusively for the museum. Frankfort lost a beloved institution.”

Protecting and Enhancing Frankfort’s Downtown Charm

Ozinga’s passion for downtown Frankfort remains unwavering. He describes the village’s 1890’s-inspired town center as a “secret weapon” and a rare gem that should be protected and celebrated.
Having such a historic “town center is something that is very rare,” Ozinga explains. “I’ve been to a lot of our towns and cities across this country, and even the ones that are bragged about—those are just shops and restaurants along roads—there’s no center! If you go back thousands of years, there's always been town centers where people could gather and meet and build community.”
Ozinga’s deep appreciation for downtown Frankfort is reflected in his personal decision to build a home there. “That’s why I’m building a house down there,” he says, “because I love it the way it is now.”

Fighting for Smart Growth

A key plank of Ozinga’s platform is expanding housing options for existing residents. He is a vocal supporter of The Gardens of Frankfort—a housing development designed for residents aged 55 and up. The development would allow older Frankfort residents to downsize while remaining in the community, simultaneously freeing up single-family homes for younger families looking to plant roots in Frankfort.
Ozinga insists that “broadening the village’s housing stock without sacrificing quality” is essential for the town’s long-term vitality, allowing young families’ entrance into the community to keep the town vibrant.

A Candidate Who Doesn’t Need the Job—But Frankfort Needs Him

Ozinga’s decision to run for mayor is motivated purely by his passion for Frankfort, not political ambition. As one of his close friends puts it:
“Justin needs the job of Mayor like he needs a hole in the side of his head. Someone with his leadership experience, qualifications, and resources is wildly overqualified for this position. The guy manages 3,000 employees—managing the Village of Frankfort is something he’s doing purely out of passion for Frankfort. He’s not doing it for the money, he’s doing it because Justin Ozinga cares deeply about Frankfort!”
Ozinga pledges that if elected, he “will not accept a single dollar in campaign donations while in office”. What’s more, Ozinga shockingly has doubled down on his bid for transparency by promising to donate his salary to fund a student journalist initiative starting at Lincoln-Way East.

A Vision for Frankfort’s Future

With a platform rooted in transparency, collaboration, and smart growth, Justin Ozinga is offering Frankfort a bold, positive vision for the future. His business acumen, leadership skills, and personal investment in the village make him uniquely qualified to transform Frankfort into a more transparent, business-friendly, and family-oriented community.
“I’m excited to help families stay close, grow our village, and be the best Frankfort can be—all while retaining that special piece that makes Frankfort, Frankfort,” Ozinga declares.
On Election Day, Justin Ozinga is asking “Frankfort residents to choose transparency, choose growth, and choose a future where Frankfort thrives”.

Justin closes out our meeting with this final message to Frankfort residents :

“Make sure to go out and vote early if you are out of town for Spring Break!”